« Police intervention at chalk frame » Free Palestine « was not necessary, » says Mathias De Clercq (Ghent)
© FVV
In Ghent, the police intervention for a chalk message ‘Free Palestine’ was « actually not necessary » on a sidewalk in Gentbrugge. Mayor Mathias De Clercq stated that on Monday in the municipal committee.
De Clercq received critical questions from Bert Misplon (Groen) and Tom De Meester (PvdA) in the committee session on Monday evening about an intervention from the Ghent police. The police approached Thursday A house in Gentbrugge After a report via the social network X, the former Twitter.
A resident had written ‘Free Palestine’ on the sidewalk in red letters, with a long red stripe underneath. « The police responded to a report that she received via X, » said De Clercq on Monday evening. « This was literally: » Best employee of the Ghent Flikken, can you paint political slogans with paint over the length of two houses? «
« The police responded to a report that she received via X. Every complaint is viewed on all channels of the police »
Mathias De Clercq
Mayor (for Ghent)
The police took the message seriously and sent a patrol. « Given that the report was in paint in the report, the police went on the spot. » On the spot, however, it turned out to be sidewalk chalk. « That is allowed, so the complaint was unjustified, » says De Clercq. « Given the context and the social sensitive theme, it has been decided to proceed with a mediating conversation. »
Interruption
The resident concerned had applied the message himself and removed it after the conversation with the agents. « In my opinion it was not necessary to remove. The message was applied with chalk and did not encourage hatred, » says De Clercq. « This should not have been removed. »
« Actually, this should not have been removed. The message was applied with chalk and did not encourage hatred »
Mathias De Clercq
Mayor (for Ghent)
The police did not prepare an official report and the intervention is considered a single case by the police force. According to the mayor, hundreds of similar chalk messages were installed in the city last weekend without further intervention. « They also remained without any effect. That is no problem. Let that be clear. »
Complaints via X are followed by a social media team of the police and handled according to priorities. « Every complaint is viewed on all channels, » De Clercq decided.
